Thursday, November 5, 2009

Cactus Flower

The 1969 film was the first for Goldie and it earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

The film is kind of dorky, but sweet. Walter Matthau plays Julian, a dentist who pretends to be married so he won't have to settle down with his 21-year-old girlfriend, Toni (played by Goldie). When Toni declares she wants to meet his other half, Julian asks his secretary (played by an alarmingly plain Bergman) to act as his wife. Obviously, hilariousness ensues.

The film is a bit odd. It never explains what Toni finds attractive about the washed-up dentist. He's not particularly wealthy or good-looking. He doesn't even have that great of a personality.

Plus, it was kind of perplexing that in all the time she had been living in her Greenwich Village apartment, Toni seemed to never have noticed her hot 20-something year old beatnik neighbor, Igor. Um, this is a guy who walks around her apartment complex shirtless for no reason throughout the film.

The only aspect of the film that really made me cringe, however, was Ingrid Bergman. I always remembered Ingrid as the beautiful Golden Era movie star who took my breath away in Casablanca. Any memory of that I had is gone. Now when I think of Ingrid Bergman, all I can remember is her dancing awkwardly to a go-go beat with Goldie Hawn, trying so hard to look hip when she just looked like a middle-aged woman with no sense of rhythm. My heart cried. And the costumes didn't do any justice to the Hollywood legend, they just made her look frumpy.

But, of course, the acting and plot are not the reasons I love this film.

It is all Goldie.

Her character is adorably nutty and utterly fabulous. Toni lives in a tiny studio apartment that she decorates with the bright neon colors of the late 1960s. She works in a popular record shop, where she gets to wear cool artsy clothes and hang out with hipsters. She loves to dance no matter where she is. She is young, full of life and energy and sweetness, and loving every second of it.

If you love fabulousness and you love comedy and you love fashion, go rent this film.

I love Goldie Hawn. I think she's absolutely hysterical!! I actually have never seen Cactus Flower. I've seen clips of it on like ya know montagues in award shows but never caught it. That's Ingrid Bergman??? The lady from Casablanca??? That's a weeeee bit weird. It seems like this is one of those quirky 60's movies, maybe I'll get it from the library.

Aww sweetie you are an awesome friend. Thank you for the comment earlier. It's rough but I'm getting through it and amazing people like you are helping and I owe you & everybody so much. *BIG HUGS* =)

Oh I have never heard of this film before it sounds like it would be worth seeing, unfortunately there is no where near where I live that i can rent a DVD from. But will have to check it out at some point! Thanks so much for your really sweet comment! xoteacups-and-saucers.blogspot.com

Jen, I love that you discover movies that I've never even heard of and how you leave me intrigued :)And are these photos aren't all from this movie are they? Because if they are, I'm going to have to rent it for the fashion and hair alone!I'm really loving her hair here. Like want to cut my hair right now loving...Happy weekend, hon!

I just love Goldie, she is such a good actress and I love how you are renting some unique films. I got those mini series you were talking about but haven't watched them yet...I will let you know what I think. Hope you are enjoying your weekend!